KEEPING MACK IN ALLENTOWN

In my 38 years at Mack Trucks the union made numerous common sense concessions in order to make Mack profitable. And this time should be no different.

In 1962 at the UAW convention in Atlantic City, Walter Reuther met with our delegates. He told us that the president of Mack had come to Detroit and asked us to make concessions in order to make Mack more competitive and give jobs to our members.

We held our negotiations in New York City with the Plainfield engine plant participating. After many meetings with the company we decided to give relief. We felt it would be best to lose the battle and win the war.

After our decision was made, we met with the Plainfield local and told them of our position. The Plainfield committee did not agree with us. We pleaded with them. I told them that it would be better to stay on the main track instead of side tracking. Their reply was "we will side track - we will not go along with you."

The company then announced that it would stay in Allentown, but the Plainfield engine plant would be moved to Hagerstown, Md.

Several years later at a UAW convention in Atlantic City the former Plainfield shop chairman came up to me and said "George, you were right, we should have stayed on the main track instead of side tracking.

The Lehigh Valley workers have proven themselves to be the best in the nation. It would be to the benefit of Mack to keep the plant here and make use of these hard working, dependable people. On the other hand, the union must realize that Mack has moved plants before because the union would not go along with them in giving relief to be profitable.

This union is very responsible and realistic. It isn't like a stubborn jackass that doesn't move - we have the common sense to move when the company presents the facts to us at negotiations as we have done in the past. I believe that with the Union and Mack meeting with full sincerity and integrity, the company can achieve its goals admirably with fairness and satisfaction for everyone.